Flames from the bin blaze spread to the two-storey maisonette and quickly engulfed the property.

Mr and Mrs Brightmore died in their home but Stephen initially survived, although the extent of his burns were so severe he lost his fight for life two days later.

The boy accused of starting the fire was a self confessed teenage arsonist, who jurors heard found it ‘funny’ to set fire to paper, pens and plastic bottles, usually in woodland.

He died setting fire to the wheelie bin, claiming a teenage friend had been lying when he said he saw him set fire to a crisp packet and drop it into the bin outside the Brightmore family’s home.

He admitted that he had been roaming the streets of Batemoor and Jordanthorpe, climbing on roofs and smoking cannabis with his brother and a teenage girl on the night of the blaze but denied responsibility.

The murders are among 33 unsolved cases on South Yorkshire Police’s books.